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May 28, 2025 – General –
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has formally requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to allow Palestinian journalists affected by the war in Gaza to participate in its war crimes investigation. RSF argues that these journalists, who have suffered devastating personal losses and attacks in the line of duty, should be recognized as victims and allowed to share their testimonies during the proceedings.
The move is part of RSF’s ongoing efforts to seek justice for journalists targeted during the Israel-Gaza conflict. The organization submitted two victim participation requests to the ICC on behalf of Gazan journalists who were either detained, abused, or saw their homes and offices destroyed. Among them is Adel Al Zaanoon, AFP’s bureau chief in Gaza, whose home was reduced to rubble by an Israeli airstrike. Another is Diaa al-Kahlout, a journalist detained for over a month and allegedly tortured.
These applications draw on Rule 85 of the ICC’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence, which permits victims to participate in legal proceedings. By engaging the court directly, RSF hopes to make the violence against journalists a central component of the ICC’s broader investigation into alleged crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
This is the fourth formal complaint RSF has submitted to the ICC concerning the war in Gaza, highlighting a pattern of deliberate targeting of journalists and press facilities. RSF’s advocacy has already secured a key milestone: the inclusion of crimes against journalists in the ICC’s official investigation into the situation in Palestine.
The broader campaign by RSF aims not only to provide justice for individual journalists but also to reinforce the principle that members of the press must be protected, even in times of war. In a conflict where media workers have faced especially high casualties, the organization stresses that international justice mechanisms must hold perpetrators accountable for attacks on the press.
RSF’s actions reflect a growing demand for accountability in Gaza and a push to ensure that journalists are not just witnesses, but also participants in the quest for justice.
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